1. Field
The present invention relates generally to grilling systems, and particularly to a novel grill for cooking food efficiently, effectively, and safely, and for maintaining optimal flavor.
2. Background
Traditional outdoor grills are configured with heat sources residing below the cooking area. Heat sources herein refer to suitable heat emitting, gas and non-gas electrical sources and the like. One example is a simple charcoal grill. Such a grill contains a cavity in which charcoal is placed and ignited. This grill also contains a grate situated above the charcoal onto which the food is placed. A disadvantage of the charcoal grill is that food drippings generated from the cooking process fall into the cavity and ignite. The ignition of these drippings causes unwanted flames or flare ups to flow through the grate. These flames can scorch the food. Worse, the unwanted flames can pose a safety hazard to persons near the grill. Another example is a gas grill, where the charcoal is replaced by gas burners. Here, flare-ups from food drippings still present problems.
In many types of grills, including the charcoal and gas grill discussed above, the positioning of the cooking mechanism below the food creates other problems. Drippings and other by-products of the cooking process create a mess inside the cavity of these grills. For grills that use another type of burner such as an infrared burner, the drippings can clog the infrared device, requiring extensive and periodic cleaning. If left unchecked, the clogging can dramatically change the flame characteristics of the burner, producing undesirable emissions, unwanted temperatures or uneven hot spots. Eventually, the repeated flow of unwanted by-products onto the burner can result in permanent failure and the need for replacement. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/843,434 (Pub. No.: US2002/0157659A1 recognized the problem posed by a heat source residing below a cooking area by mounting a gas broiler above the cooking area. Additionally, to prevent the broiler flue products from entering the oven cavity or cooking area, a panel, transparent to radiation is placed beneath the broiler. While flue gases may be prevented from entering or circulating within the cooking area, this set up will allow residue from the vapors coming from the food to deposit on the surface of the panel facing the cooking area once the temperature falls below that required to fully burn the residue or vapors into the gaseous state. These deposits on the panel, if not cleaned immediately, will provide a breeding ground for microorganisms or more importantly, will affect the radiation transmission efficiency of the broiler.
Still other outdoor grills offer a rotisserie option, where the food is turned on a rotating spit. In one such system, an infrared burner is mounted vertically above the grilling surface and behind the food content. This arrangement results in the infrared flame being exposed forward toward the direction of the user. Hence, the burner releases high temperature and flue products towards the user. Obviously, this state of affairs can be highly undesirable. In a situation where the ignition is unpredictably delayed or the resulting flame is large in magnitude, the flame will move directly toward the unsuspecting user. Such a condition can produce a fire hazard and may even result in injury.
Moreover, in a traditional grill arrangement, the heat source generates juice originating predominantly from the bottom of the food content, where the heat source is closest. Gravity causes the juice to escape the food and drip into the cavity below. This arrangement can dry the food and deprive it of otherwise flavor-enhancing juices. Likewise, in a traditional rotisserie arrangement with the heat source located vertically behind the food content and rotating on a spit, the juice from the food will drip down below the rotating food and produce the same undesirable result.
With indoor grills where cooking is done in a sealed enclosed area, additional problems exist with the heat generated from cooking. In an outdoor grill, heat can be easily dissipated in the air. However, with indoor grills, the heat generated can overheat not only the inside but also the outside walls of the enclosure causing severe burns when accidentally touched from the outside which is currently prevented by heavy insulation between an inner wall and the outer wall which is costly and add unwanted weight to the grill, preventing it to be portable.